The second in the terrifying DI Callanach crime series. Fans of M.J. Arlidge will be hooked from the very first page.

In the midst of a rock festival, a charity worker is sliced across the stomach. He dies minutes later. In a crowd of thousands, no one saw his attacker. The following week, the body of a primary school teacher is found in a dumpster in an Edinburgh alley, strangled with her own woollen scarf.

DI Ava Turner and DI Luc Callanach have no motive and no leads – until around the city, graffitied on buildings, words appear describing each victim.

It’s only when they realise the words are appearing before rather than after the murders, that they understand the killer is announcing his next victim…and the more innocent the better.

Hello, my fellow crime fiction fans! It’s Monday and I know everybody hates Mondays. But today is a non-working day and I know you are all enjoying somewhere with a good book. And today I have a recommendation for you: Perfect Prey by Helen Fields. One of the best thrillers I’ve read recently. It’s simply one of those books I can not recommend enough. Ms. Fields really nailed it this time!

Perfect Prey is second in the series for D.I. Callanach. Remember that French detective in Perfect Remains? It doesn’t matter if you don’t. This book can perfectly stand alone. This time he and his colleague have their hand full of work because strange things are happening in their town. A young man is sliced across the stomach while attending a rock festival. Attacked in a place full of people but no one sees a thing. The victim is a charity worker with no enemies. A couple of days later, a young teacher is found in a dumpster killed with her own scarf. A scarf that the children in her class had made especially for her. A person that loved everyone and was loved by everyone. No enemies either.

Two different modus operandi. Different victims, different places. But one thing in common: graffiti! No one notices at first, but the new graffiti appears around the town describing each victim and appears before the victim. Like the murderer is telling the world about his next victim.

Callanach and Turner are running out of time. According to the graffiti, there will be a new victim. Or victims? Because Callanach’s gut says that there are two killers, competing against each other.

Is killing people a game for someone????

Helen Fields really nailed it this time! She created a real roller coaster! A story full of turbulences and turn-overs! Totally unpredictable! I never expected that kind of outcome! Left me with my jaw dropped! But as much as I liked the plot of the story, I was a little bit disappointed by D.I.Ava Turner. In the book number one, she seemed like a strong female person who does what she likes and doesn’t accept crap from no one. This time she gets engaged but there is no happy face. Her fiance is a police officer who seems like a good catch, but she doesn’t look like totally in love with him. And she always finds some reasons to defend her choices to others. A character very different and disappointing from the previous book.

But as I said, I loved the book! There is a lot of blood and lots of mysteries to be solved. D.I. Callanach has not only killers to catch, but also to find out the motive behind the killings. Who kills charity workers? Who kills school teachers? What makes these perfect people the perfect prey?